


Kismet

by MinkaMouse



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-02-13 09:18:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12980958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinkaMouse/pseuds/MinkaMouse
Summary: Neville Longbottom knew better than to cross paths with a Malfoy. After all, he's been nothing but the butt to all of Draco and his gang's jokes. Was it too much to ask to remain invisible to all Slytherins? Apparently, it was since he's managed to catch the attention of Amalthea Malfoy, Draco's younger sister.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read my new Harry Potter fic :) I hope you liked it! Please don't be shy to leave a review!
> 
> I only own what I own.
> 
>  
> 
> PS. This story can also be found in fanfiction.net under the username AnimeFlowerGirl :)

Neville Longbottom sat beside Hermione Granger, listening to her worry about the whereabouts of their friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, when Amalthea Malfoy was called forward to be sorted. Hermione's jaw snapped shut and Neville felt a cold wash over him as they both turned their attention to the young Malfoy making her way to the stool. She did not swagger like her brother but she walked with an air of grace that basically oozed her proud upbringing.

When the Sorting Hat was placed on her head, it did not fall over her eyes but instead sat in a way that almost made it look like a fashionable accessory. Neville figured that only a Malfoy could make a patchy and dirty hat look good.

Unlike Draco, whose head was barely touched by the hat before it screamed out Slytherin, Amalthea spent a good amount of time in front. She did not look worried; in fact, she looked like she was having a conversation with the hat before it shouted "SLYTHERIN!"

The entire Slytherin table exploded in applause, and maybe some other Houses clapped as well, but all Neville could do was watch Amalthea sit beside Draco and think: "Oh no. There's another one."

It was no news to anyone that Draco Malfoy and his gang found it particularly entertaining to pick on young Mr. Longbottom (most of his first year was spent being the butt of Draco and his friend's jokes) and knowing that another Malfoy was going to be attending Hogwarts, well, Neville wondered if he would survive the year.

Hermione, noticing Neville's frigid posture, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and said, "Don't worry Neville. Maybe she's not as rotten as her brother."

"But she's a  _Malfoy,_ Hermione," Neville gulped, "I'm pretty sure she was brought up to hate people like me."

"Even so, she's a year younger than us. If she's going to pick on anyone, it would be those in her year," said Hermione before she turned her attention back to the Sorting Ceremony.

Neville tried to follow Hermione's lead but he found himself looking over at the Slytherin table, several times throughout the sorting. For some reason unknown to him, his eyes would always land on Amalthea.

Amalthea, from what Neville could see from his seat at the Gryffindor table, had blonde hair a shade darker than her brother's but they had the same pale complexion and sharp, pointed features. Neville supposed that the similarities between the siblings did not end there and the idea of her taunting him with her brother scared him.

Neville decided to add Amalthea Malfoy to the list of people he should not cross alone.

...

The bell rang, signaling the end of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Neville, along with his other classmates, made a mad dash out of the classroom to escape the chaos. His ears and bum burned from being lifted onto the chandelier by the pixies Lockhart released and later falling from said chandelier when it gave way. He could not believe that, once again, he had been targeted by misfortune.

Well, that's a lie. He could believe it.

 _Why is it always me?_  Neville thought to himself just as he ran into someone full force. He let out a yelp as the collision forced him to fall backwards onto his hands.

"Oh dear, are you alright, Amalthea?" A voice asked in a somewhat distant and dreamy manner. Neville felt his heart dropped to his stomach when he looked up to see that he had knocked over none other than Amalthea Malfoy.

Amalthea was sprawled on the ground (her bag had fallen open and Neville saw one of her ink bottles had cracked and spilled) and let out a groan, having hit her head. Her friend – Neville took note that she was a Ravenclaw with dirty blonde hair and had her wand tucked behind her left ear – helped Amalthea back to her feet. Amalthea picked up her bag and her books fell to the floor.

"I'm fine, Luna," Amalthea said, taking out her wand. Neville flinched, thinking that she was going to jinx him, but, to his surprise, she only flicked it at her things, muttering a spell under her breath, and everything on the floor returned to her bag.

Neville had not realized he was gaping at her until she gave him an uneasy smile.

"Are you okay?" Amalthea asked him kindly. She held out her hand to him and, again, Neville flinched. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"I – uh – I'm sorry," Neville sputtered out, scrambling to his feet. He hastily looked around the halls and saw that they were the only three students there. "I'm sorry," Neville repeated when he looked back at Amalthea and her friend. "I'm so so so–"

"I heard you the first time – It's fine," Amalthea let out a small laugh. "You didn't answer my question though. Are you okay?"

"It looked like a pretty nasty fall," the Ravenclaw – Luna, was it? – said.

Neville blushed and stuttered, "I...I'm alright."

"That's good. Well, Luna and I have better get to class," Amalthea looped her arm with Luna and the latter did not seem to notice as she was looking out at the sky. "It was nice meeting you..."

"N-Neville."

"Well, N-Neville," Amalthea teased, already leading Luna the down the hall, "I do hope we run into each other again."


	2. Chapter 2

"Amalthea is quite different from her brother, don't you think?" asked Hermione one day during breakfast, catching Neville off guard. Her question seemed to have caught the attention of Harry and Ron as well, making Harry look up from his own breakfast while Ron choked on his.

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked once he cleared his pipe.

"I'm saying, she isn't as awful," Hermione rolled her eyes. "In fact, she isn't awful at all."

"Have you actually spoken with her, Hermione?" Harry wondered.

"I see her in the library sometimes," Hermione confessed. "She would ask for help with her homework and she's very polite. She smiles a lot, too."

"Smile? I've never known a Malfoy to  _smile._ Sneer is more like it," Ron scoffed.

"She's nice," Neville found himself saying, his cheeks burning when he saw Hermione, Harry, and Ron turn to him. "S-she didn't get mad at me when I ran into her the other day."

Harry and Ron seemed to consider what Neville said.

"Then what did she do?" asked Harry.

"She asked me if I was okay."

...

"Hullo, Neville."

Neville jumped and got caught in the bush he was crawling under. He floundered in the leaves before toppling out and landing face first into the dirt. He spat out leaves and twigs and his eyes widened when he saw perfectly polished shoes in front of him. Neville dared to look up and when he did, he saw Amalthea Malfoy smiling down at him.

"What in the world are you doing, Neville?" she asked, folding her skirt and robes under herself as she squatted in front of him. Now that she was so close to him, Neville saw that her eyes were blue like the ocean, not a cold grey like Draco's.

"Neville?" Amalthea's gaze grew worried when he did not reply. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"Oh – no, no. I was just surprised..." said Neville as he pushed himself off the ground. "I'm...looking for my toad actually. Trevor."

"You lost your toad?"

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

Amalthea let out a laugh. "I know you didn't, Neville. Honestly, who loses something on purpose?" She stood up and held out her hand. This time, Neville took it and allowed her to help him to his feet. When Amalthea wiped her hands on her robes, Neville felt himself flush with embarrassment. Of course she would be disgusted by his touch.

"Sorry," Amalthea said sheepishly as if she didn't just insult Neville. "You had a bit of mud on your hands." Neville's eyes widened and he, too, wiped his hands on his trousers. "So I take it you've already looked for Trevor in your dorm, common room and out here?"

Neville nodded.

"Hmm...how about we check the Greenhouses, the Great Hall, and the Dungeons next?"

Neville gawked.

"Is that plan alright?" Amalthea shifted from one foot to the other.

"Y-you're going to help me?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to find Trevor if more than one person was looking?"

"I suppose but... you're going to help me?"

Amalthea blushed. "You don't want me to?"

"It's not that!" Neville panicked. "I just, didn't... expect... you...to..."

"Why?"

"Why? Uhm... I guess I'm just not used to a Malfoy offering me help," Neville looked down at his feet. "Most of the time, Malfoy is behind Trevor's disappearances."

Amalthea was quiet and Neville feared for the worst. What if she realized that she was wasting her time being nice to him? What if she found out that it would be worth her while tormenting him than helping him? What if she took a page from her brother's book and jinxed him to kingdom come?

"What if I look for Trevor in the Dungeons and you check the Greenhouses?" Amalthea suggested, her attention already towards the castle. "If you say my brother is usually responsible for Trevor's disappearing acts then I can ask him about it."

"Please don't!" Neville shouted. "He's just going to pick on me if he found out that I sent his sister to look for my frog."

"Then I won't tell him I'm looking for your frog," Amalthea shrugged. "I can just say that I need a frog for an experiment – like maybe a test subject for a potion – if he has Trevor, I'm sure he'd offer him."

Neville gulped.

"Don't worry, I won't test on him. Now, come one, Trevor's probably scared out of his wits!"


	3. Chapter 3

Neville was not sure what kind of game Amalthea was playing but he knew he did not like it. It was not like he was on the losing end of her game, no one has bothered him about her yet, but he did not know how to feel about the eleven year old's attention. He had not spoken to her since the Trevor incident but everywhere he went, she was there.

One time, he caught her and Hermione whispering in the library, talking about Ron and slugs and he was sure that Amalthea was apologizing to her because Hermione said "You don't have to apologize on behalf of your brother." (Neville thought about everything Draco had done to him until now and imagined Amalthea apologizing to him for Draco as well. It was a mystery how the siblings were so different.)

Neville usually saw Amalthea with her brother. During every meal, the Malfoy siblings would sit together and when Neville would (discreetly) pass by them in the hallways, Amalthea would always be trailing after Draco like a ducking and its mother. If Crabbe and Goyle were with them, they would sort of form a triangle shape with Draco, keeping Amalthea in the middle. When Amalthea was not with Draco, she was with Pansy Parkinson and her friends. Neville hardly saw Amalthea with Luna Lovegood but when the halls were not as crowded as they usually were, sometimes he would catch the Ravenclaw gliding by the Slytherin's side. It was not hard to guess that Amalthea had to keep her friendship a secret. The rare times Amalthea was alone, Neville would see her sitting in the courtyard or in the library, far away from other students, occasionally on the same table as Hermione.

Whenever Neville caught the young Malfoy alone, she would look up from whatever book she was reading or spell she was practicing and see Neville looking at her and she would smile. Of course, Neville would stumble and fidget out of embarrassment from being caught staring but Amalthea never said anything. She would only wait for Neville to acknowledge her (most of the time he would give her a shaky nod if he could not bring himself to return her smile) before she went back to whatever it was she was doing.

It seemed like after the Trevor incident, Amalthea realized who he was and decided to keep her distance.

"Bloody hell, you're right," Ron's voice brought Neville out of his thoughts. "She does smile."

Neville looked up from his slice of toast and saw Amalthea laugh at something her brother said. He wondered if it was a joke about Gryfindors (particularly Harry or maybe even himself) or Muggleborns but he could not bring himself to believe that Amalthea would laugh at the expense of others. Maybe Draco was being genuinely funny. Neville suppressed a shiver at the thought.

"I told you so," said Hermione, her attention did not leave her book. In her hand was a spoonful of porridge that was at risk of dripping onto the table. "Maybe there's hope for the Malfoy bloodline."

"What do you think, Ginny?" Harry asked, startling Ron's younger sister. Neville watched as the girl dropped her spoon and splattered whatever it was she was eating on the table. He sympathized with her but did not say anything.

"I've never really spokent to her before," Ginny replied, wiping her mess with the sleeve of her robes. "But I have seen her help a Hufflepuff pick up his things after Crabbe shoved him into a wall."

...

Neville was just on his way to the Halloween feast in the Great Hall when someone pulled at his arm, forcing him to stumble into an empty classroom. On reflex, Neville closed his eyes and waited for whoever decided to torment him to attack. His heart thudded in his chest and he prayed that whatever was going to happen to him would end quickly so that maybe he would be able to get back to the feast in time for dessert. If he was going to be bullied tonight, he might as well end Halloween with something sweet to lift his spirits.

When nothing came, Neville open his eyes to see Amalthea looking at him with her eyebrows raised in question.

"W-What's going on?" Neville asked, wincing at his stutter. He was somewhat confident that Amalthea was not like her brother but now, with no one around to witness what was going to happen in the classroom, he was not so sure.

"I'm so sorry, Neville. I thought you were Luna," Amalthea said, her finger twirling around a blonde hair that fell out of her ponytail. "I just heard someone outside muttering about pudding and assumed..."

Neville felt his cheeks heat up. He did not know that his thoughts about tonight's dessert had made its way out of his mouth. Amalthea seemed to have sensed his embarassment (it was kind of hard not to) and was quick to assure him that she was looking forward to some pie herself. Neville felt himself relax as he listened to her list all her favorite desserts (she really liked anything with chocolate and fruit) and he nearly forgot why he was in an empty classroom with a Malfoy.

"Why are you waiting for Luna?"

"We don't really get to eat together so we were going to meet up here." It was then that Neville noticed a large picnic basket ontop of the table behind her. "Maybe she's getting dessert. The house elves weren't finished with them when I came to the kitchens."

Neville's eyes widened. "You've been to the kitchens?"

"You haven't?" Amalthea's brows shot up and she was grinning. Neville never would have thought he'd see a Malfoy  _grin_ and not be scared out of his wits. "It's hidden but once you get in, you can eat practicallly anything! I'll take you next time."

For a moment, Neville was excited. It was an adventure that did not seem like it would end in his demise – not like the adventures Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been on – but he remembered who he was talking to and the excitement disappeared.

"Are...are you sure?"

Amalthea's grin dropped. "Of course I'm sure sure."

"B-But you're a Malfoy and I'm, well, I'm me and what if someone caught us?"

"No one's going to catch us."

"But are you okay with bringing someone like me with you? I mean, you know who I am, right?" Neville's gaze was firmly on the floor. "I'm a Longbottom and, uhm, our families don't really get along, do they?"

Amalthea did not reply and Neville dared a glance at her. She was staring at him with an expression he could not really read and, for a brief second, he thought that maybe she was going to hex him for declining her invitation. He quickly shook the thought away.

"I'm...sorry if I was being overly familiar with you, Longbottom." Neville tried not to grimace at how distant she sounded. "If you ever want to see the kitchens, just let me know." She turned her back to him and began to mess with the picnic basket. "Anyway, you can head to the Great Hall if you like. I don't want you to miss out on the festivities."

"...Alright," Neville said and waited a second too long before he turned to leave. He was just about to open the door when it swung open, smacking him in the face. He was pretty sure the person behind the door said something about pudding and pie but he was too busy being in pain to care. Neville had fallen on his back and his hands were on what he could only guess was a broken nose.

"We need to bring him to the Hospital Wing." Amalthea was by his side and Neville groaned as she helped him up. He could not look her in the eyes when she handed him a handkerchief and he was mortified that she would let such an expensive piece of cloth be tainted by his blood.

"I know a spell that can fix broken noses."

Neville was shaking his head before he knew it and he scrambled to get back on his feet. It was not like he did not trust Luna – he just did not want to risk something bad happening. Amalthea was quick to help him up and if Neville was not so focused on keeping his blood from flowing, he would have blushed at how close they were standing especially after what had just happened seconds before.

"Maybe next time, Luna," Amalthea said kindly. Neville did not want to know why Amalthea thought that there was going to be a next time. "Help me get him to the Hospital Wing."

"Wai!" Neville managed to say but he was unsure that they understood him. "Wa abou 'raco?"

Surprisingly, it was Luna who replied. "Everyone's at the Great Hall. No one will see us."

"Also, it doesn't matter. I'll think of some excuse." Amalthea said before asking Luna to fetch Madam Pomfrey. "I'm so sorry about this, Longbottom."

"'all me Ne'ille."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a long chapter 3 (or longer than I originally planned)
> 
> Someone asked where in the series this fic is taking place and although it might not seem like it, this fic is set during the second book, The Chamber of Secrets :) I know, I know, Neville should be like 12 and Amalthea is, like, 11, but they sort of act older than that? (or at least I think so) I don't actually know how to explain why except I don't really know how 11-12 year olds act, think, and talk and I don't want to accidentally make them seem too immature.
> 
> I'm sorry if Neville and Amalthea's friendship seems a bit rushed(?) or it will seem a bit rushed in the next chapter. I just don't want them to be dancing around each other for too long, y'know?
> 
> Anyway, let me know what you all think!
> 
> I only own what I own.


	4. Chapter 4

Neville always found himself in situations where he got the short end of the stick. In fact, his entire First Year at Hogwarts was spent narrowly surving misfortune.

First, he lost Trevor on the ride to Hogwarts, then he embarassed himself in front of the whole school by running across the Great Hall with the Sorting Hat still on his head (he still could not fathom why the Sorting Hat thought he should be in Gryffindor). Shortly after that, Peeves dumped a bundle of walking sticks on his head. He melted Seamus’ cauldron in Potions and got drenched with the boil-curing potion, he broke his wrist when he fell off his broom during his first flying lesson, Draco cursed him with a Leg-Locker Curse after the Chritmas holidays, and he even ended up getting knocked out by Crabbe and Goyle after a Quidditch match.

Neville hoped that maybe by his Second Year, he would have run out of bad luck but then there was the incident with the Cornish pixies and, again, Trevor. He nearly thought his life was over when Amalthea Malfoy came to school at the start of the year but somehow that was not the case. Neville was not sure how to interpret his budding friendship with the young Malfoy.

Was this supposed to be his luck turning around?

“What on earth are those?”

Neville blushed and ducked his head. He was once again in the empty classroom with Amalthea (he wondered when this became a thing – meeting his bully’s sister behind closed doors) and she caught sight of all the protective devices he bought to, well, protect himself from whatever it was that was attacking the Muggleborns in the school. The Chamber of Secrets opened the night Luna broke Neville’s nose and ever since then, Hogwarts has not stopped talking about it – who was the heir of Slytherin and what happened to Mrs. Norris? The excitement died when Colin Creevey was attacked and now First Years were walking everywhere in groups.

“You do know you’re a Pureblood, right?” Amalthea asked, picking up the pointed purple crystal he bought.

“Well, they attacked Filch first.”

“He’s a Squib.”

“I’m practically a Squib myself, if I’m being honest.” Neville said dejectedly. He pocketed the “evil-smelling” green onion and rotting newt tail and Amalthea moved closer to him. He felt his palms sweat.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re plenty magical,” Amalthea smiled. “But if you think whatever’s attacking students can go for Pureblood’s as well, then is it okay if I keep this?”

She did not wait for Neville’s reply and brought out her wand. She conjured a metal chain out of thin air and then looped it through the crystal, making a necklace. “Help me put it on?” She asked, handing the necklace to Neville before turning her back to him and lifting her long, blonde hair away from her neck.

Neville spluttered and his hands were shaking as he held the necklace’s clasp. He nearly fell out of his chair when his knuckle grazed the back of Amathea’s neck and he kept reminding himself that if he could not even clasp a necklace on his friend, then he was as good as monster (Neville did not know how else to describe whatever it was that was attacking students) meat – no one needed a wizard like him. When he finally put the necklace on, he watched as Amalthea’s hair waved back into place, covering the clasp, and she turned in her seat.

Suddenly, they were a whole lot closer than he remembered.

“Hi,” Amalthea said, not at all bothered by their proximity, and Neville wondered if it was possible to go into cardiac arrest at twelve years old.

...

Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick were the next victims of whatever was lurking in Hogwarts and Neville was glad to being going home for the holidays, free from worry and his protective charms. He got rid of the onion and newt tail when he heard that Nearly Headless Nick was attacked. He did not think that a monster who could harm a _ghost_ could be stopped by a moldy vegetable and a severed tail. Neville hoped that by the time he returned to Hogwarts the following year, the monster would have been taken care of.

“You’re not going home?” Neville tried to keep his voice down but the shock he felt forced the words out more forcefully than he intended. He and Amalthea were in the library because their classroom was in use.

“Draco wanted to stay behind and mother said it was safer for us to stick together.” Amalthea whispered, her eyes looking over the rows of books in front of her. Neville was looking at the books behind her and tried his best not to turn his head to her as they spoke. They were in a section far away from other students but they still did not want to risk being seen together.

“But... wouldn’t it be safer if you were both at home?”

“Are you worried about me, Longbottom?” Amalthea teased and Neville was glad that she could not see him blush. “I have that necklace you gave me so I should be fine.”

Neville was pretty sure that he did not _give_ her the necklace but, intead, she just took the crystal from him. He often forgot that Amalthea was Draco’s younger sister because she was nice to him but sometimes her “Malfoy-ness” slipped out when he least expected it. He thought back to the time Draco snatched his Remembrall. Malfoy’s liked to simply take things without asking, he reckoned.

“Just...watch your back, okay?” Neville said quietly. “I mean, if Nearly Headless Nick can be harmed–”

Amalthea placed a hand on Neville’s shoulder, making him jump before he turned to look at her. “Don’t worry, Neville, I’ll be fine.”

“Neville, is that you – Amalthea!” Hermione’s hushed voice came from the end of their aisle, startling the two. Neville froze in his spot, his eyes wide with panic, but Amalthea simply regarded Hermone with a smile, her hand back at her side.

“Hi, Hermione,” Amalthea said as Hermione approached them. “Is there something wrong?”

“I just wanted to ask – oh, you have a hair on your robes.” Hermione plucked off a blonde, almost white, strand of hair from Amalthea’s shoulder.

“Oh thank you. What was it you were going to ask?”

Hermione blinked and a minute passed before she said “I’m so sorry, but it seems like I forgot what it was.” Hermione and Amalthea shared a laugh before the former excused herself and disappeared into another aisle. Neville gave Amalthea a questioning look.

“It’s weird that Hermione would forget something.”

“You know her better than I do,” Amalthea said, looking over her robes. “I should really find a spell that would keep cat hair from sticking to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 4! I'm wondering if I should stick to Neville's POV for the entire POV or maybe switch to Amalthea from time to time. What do you think?
> 
> Don't forget to leave a review and to bookmark this story :)
> 
> I only own what I own.


	5. Chapter 5

Christmas break seemed to go by in a blink of an eye and before Neville knew it, it was already February. He heard that Hermione had been in the Hospital Wing the entire vacation and a little into the new term and he worried that something had happened while he was away. He looked for Amalthea in their classroom and in the library but he could not find her alone anywhere and at any time. The only reassurance he got was when he saw her in the Great Hall with Pansy Parkinson.

Neville tried to tell himself that Amalthea was not avoiding him but it was becoming difficult to believe that she wasn't because he had not spoken a word to her since the start of the year.

"You alright there, Neville?" Dean asked him one night in their dormitory. "You look like you're worrying yourself into a tizzy."

"I-I'm fine." Neville said and realized that he had been pacing around his bed, catching the attention of all his dorm-mates. He blushed and quickly sat down on his bed. "I'm just... no, I'm fine." He couldn't tell them about Amalthea. He just couldn't.

"Are you sure?" Dean pressed and Neville almost gave in. It was rare that his dorm-mates paid any attention him – or rather, showed him any concern when he was not being picked on. "Malfoy isn't giving you any trouble is he?"

 _Well, not Draco._ Neville shook his head and tried to give Dean what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "It's...Defense Against the Dark Arts. I don't think I'm ready for our exam."

Ron scoffed. "I'm sure Lockhart will just quiz us on his favorite type of toothpaste."

"Or what spell he uses to make his hair fluffy," Harry added.

"What's the point? It's probably a wig!" said Ron.

With that, all attention was off of Neville and he was left to worry by himself.

...

When February fourteenth came, it brought with it oodles of pink, red, flowers, and hearts. Neville was not sure if he actually walked into the Great Hall (it wouldn't be the first time) but he was pushed into the room when other students came rushing in to see the overly sweet decorations. The young boy plopped down next to Dean and Seamus, mumbling hellos to each other, and he looked towards the Slyherin table as he picked up a sugar cookie. Again, Amalthea was with Pansy Parkinson and her friends.

Neville was not sure how long he had been staring – he was trying to figure out when Amalthea had gotten strawberry pink streaks in her hair – when ocean blue eyes made contact with his. Amalthea was looking at him over a large, heart shaped card and squinted. Neville fidgeted in his seat. Was she mad at him?

He dared to keep eye contact with her and saw her glance up at the ceiling just as an owl flew into the Great Hall and dropped a package in front of Neville. It landed on his empty plate and caused his utensils to fall to the floor. Suddenly, everyone's attention was on him.

"Who's it from?" Seamus asked, leaning over to look past Dean.

"I – uh – there's no name," Neville muttered, turning the gliterry pink box over. Something rattled inside and he turned it right side up again. There was a card on top of it and Neville opened it to see a neat script written in gold ink.

_Happy Valentine's Day, N-Neville (haha)._

_I hope you enjoy chocolates! I got an assortment. Share it with your friends!_

Dean took the note from Neville's hands and brought Seamus into a discussion about who could have written the note. "It's got to be someone older than us." Seamus said. "The writing's too nice."

Neville shakily unwrapped the box (it would be hours before he got the glitter off his finger tips) and revealed a sleek white box with the chocolate's brand written on the front. He did not recognize the brand but Lavender Brown (who was suddenly standing behind him) gasped and took the chocolate.

"Hey!" Neville frowned.

"Do you have any idea what this is?"

"Chocolate, obviously." Dean answered for him.

"It's not just any regular chocolate. This chocolate is the most expensive chocolate in the Wizarding World! Rumor has it only one hundred boxes are made every Valentine's Day!" Lavendar gushed, letting Neville take his box back.

"Bloody hell, no way," Dean's eyes widened and he took the cover off of the chocolates. "Do you have some rich girlfriend you're hiding from us, Neville?"

"N-No! Of course not!" Neville blushed.

"You're lying!" said Seamus. "Who is she?"

"There is no 'she'!"

Lavander slammed her hand on Neville's shoulder, giving him a fright. "It's a 'he' then?"

"It's not a 'he' either!" Neville cried. "It's from no one!"

"Are you trying to tell us that the owl gave you the most expensive chocolate in the Wizarding World?" Dean asked.

Neville let out a groan. This was a new form of bullying.

...

Amalthea tried to keep her smile hidden behind her card. It was from Luna and she made sure that she cast a charm that disguised the sender's name. When Pansy looked over her shoulder to read it, Luna's name changed to "Your Secret Admirer." She had cast the same spell on her card to Luna.

It had been weeks since she had last spoken to Neville and she was sure that the boy had noticed her avoidance. She could not help it. Her brother had grown suspicious when he found out she ordered the chocolates and she needed to make sure that she never left Draco's, or his friend's, sight. If she disappeared like she normally did, she knew that her brother was going to investigate. She needed to lie low for a little longer.

"Can you believe that Longbottom's got himself chocolate?" Pansy said, her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Who would fancy that lump of a boy?"

Amalthea was glad that she still had her card raised to her face. Her disapproving frown would have given her away.

"Right, Thea?"

She gave a noncommittal hum. Pansy did not stop.

"Honestly, you wouldn't think that Longbottom was a Pureblood with the way he casts magic. Screws up everytime. He can't even make a decent potion!" Pansy's friends giggled. "Is he even a wizard? He's just a good for nothing–"

Amalthea cleared her throat and pushed herself up from her seat, accidentally shoving her plate forward and nearly tipped over her goblet. Pansy looked at her, surprise written all over her face, but Amalthea gave her a chilling glance.

"I'm sorry," Amalthea said too sweetly, "I think I forgot my Transfiguration essay back in my room. I'll just go ahead and pick it up."

"I–I'll come with you," Pansy stammered, standing up as well. "You might be cornered by one of Lockhart's dwarves."

"Draco," Amalthea turned to her brother, bringing his attention away from his pile of Valentine's Day cards. He only opened the ones he got from Amalthea and their mother. "Pansy and I will be going back to the dungeons to get my assignment. Do you need anything?"

"A bin for all of these letters," Draco muttered darkly, ordering Crabbe and Goyle to collect all the love notes, as he stood up and accompanied his sister out the Great Hall.

Amalthea tried not to look back at the Gryffindor table when she felt someone's gaze on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're reaching the end of the Chamber of Secrets and, to be honest, I'm kind of struggling haha. Right after this part in the book, Harry, Ron, and Hermione basically figure out who's been attacking the muggleborn's and fight the basilisk. No one else is really involved besides those three (well, two considering what happens to Hermione) so I'm not exactly sure how to sum up the remaining events. Let's see how it goes!
> 
> Don't forget to let me know what you all think!
> 
> I only own what I own.


	6. Chapter 6

Amalthea did not expect to see Hermione in the library this afternoon. From what she knew, there was a Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff today and it was odd to see the Youngest Seeker in a Century's friend not in the stands. She was about to approach her and ask why she was there (although the thought of asking Hermione Granger why she was in the library was rather odd) when the Gryffindor suddenly tore out a page from the book she was frantically flipping through.

"Is everything alright, Hermione?" Amalthea asked, unable to stay quiet. Hermione just finished scribbling something on the torn page and she clutched it in her hand like her life depended on it.

"I have to go find Harry," Hermione said, her voice high with panic.

Amalthea frowned. "He should be in the Quidditch field by now."

"Right. Let's go." Hermione took hold of Amalthea's hand and dragged her out the library.

In the rush, Amalthea was not able to tell Hermione that she could not be seen running around the castle with her looking for Harry Potter. If her brother saw her, he would have a heart attack before telling their parents which would result in them having heart attacks as well.

They passed by a curly haired Ravenclaw student in the hallway and Hermione grabbed the sleeves of her robes. "Don't go around corners without a mirror!"

"Excuse me?" The Ravenclaw asked.

"Trust me," Hermione breathed. "Do you have a mirror with you?"

"I do," Amalthea said, digging her compact mirror out of her robe's pocket. It had her initials written on it in gold cursive. She gave it to Hermione. "What's this all about?"

"The monster that's been attacking students is a Basilisk!"

"It can't be," The Ravenclaw said though Amalthea could see fear in her eyes. "We would have seen a giant serpent slithering through our halls."

"It's using the pipes!"

"How can it be a Basilisk? Shouldn't someone have died by now if it was?" asked Amalthea. The Ravenclaw looked horrified by her bluntness. "Why are they only petrified?"

"Because no one has looked at it directly in the eyes." Hermione replied. "Just, trust me on this.  _Please._ "

Amalthea bit her lip and she shared a look with the Ravenclaw. After a moment, the Ravenclaw said "Alright." She held out her hand. "Give me the mirror. I'm a Prefect. I'll bring you two to your common rooms."

The three of them stuck to the walls as Penelope, the Ravenclaw prefect, led them with the mirror angled in a way that both she and Hermione could see around the corners of the castle. Amalthea was at the rear of the line so she could do nothing but follow them blindly. Her gaze was focused on her feat, her eyes following her companions' shadows, as she thought about the situation they were in.

Amalthea hated to admit it but the accidents in Hogwarts did not worry her as much as it did the others. She figured that it was because all of the victims had been Muggleborns and she knew that no one really dared to cross a Malfoy. Sure, monsters did not really have any loyalty but she thought that she was safe. After all, none of the victims had been Slytherin, either.

Now; however, Amalthea was scared out of her wits. She held on tightly to Hermione's hand and prayed that she'd reach her common room soon. Once she was there, Amalthea decided, she would not come out of her room until the Basilisk was taken care of.

"Did you hear that?" Penelope asked and Amalthea could have sworn that her legs were about to give way. She grasp the crystal around her neck and kept her eyes trained on the ground.

"Hear wh–"

Hermione and Penelope let out a gasp and Amalthea automatically snapped her eyes shut. She heard her mirror clatter to the floor, she was sure that it was broken now, and the sound of a hiss. Her heart hammered violently against her chest and she was positive that she was crying.

 _Don't open your eyes. Do_ not _open your eyes._ She told herself over and over again and tried her best to keep herself from whimpering when something slithered down the hall. Amalthea dared a peak when the hissing sound grew distant. She let out a scream.

...

The Quidditch match against Hufflepuff was canceled and all the Gryffindors have gathered in the common room after the attack on Hermione and a Ravenclaw prefect. Neville hugged his knees to his chest as his listened to Professor McGonagall read off the long piece of parchment she had in her hands. According to the new rules, everyone had to be in their House common rooms by six and are not allowed to leave their dormitories. Teachers had to escort their students to each lesson and to the bathroom. Quidditch was also postponed.

"I need hardly to add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught." For the first time, Professor McGonagall sounded scared. "I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

When Professor McGonagall stepped out of the portrait, the Gryffindors began talking left and right. Neville did not know who to listen to until Lee Jordan spoke out.

"Isn't it obvious who the culprit is?" He asked, gaining everyone's attention. "That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff! Haven't  _any_ of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are safe?"

There were murmurs of agreement.

"Wasn't there a Slytherin student found with Granger?" Someone in the crowd asked. Neville did not know who.

"I heard it was Malfoy!" Another said.

"Draco Malfoy?"

"No – his sister –  _Amalthea_." Neville felt his heart drop to his stomach. "She was completely fine!"

"That's enough proof, isn't it? A Slytherin was at the scene of the crime – unharmed by the beast that's been attacking Muggleborns from every house!" Lee bellowed. "It's so  _obvious_ that this stuff's coming from Slytherin! The  _Heir_ of Slytherin, the  _monster_ of Slytherin – why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?"

Neville could not hear himself think over the roars and scattered applause of his housemates. He was pretty sure he was going to be sick.

The next morning, Neville did not see Amalthea in the Great Hall and he could not go looking for her in their classroom or library because no student was allowed to go around Hogwarts alone. All he could do was keep his eyes open for the young Malfoy and hope that wherever she was, she was okay. He could not imagine how frightening it was for her to be in the same place as Hermione when she was attacked. If he were in Amalthea's shoes, he would have completely lost his mind or, well, if he were truly there, Neville believed that he would have been the one petrified.

"I overheard a couple of Slytherins saying that Amalthea Malfoy has not left her room since the attack," Neville heard his housemate gossip.

Because of the six o'clock curfew, Neville found that the Gryffindor common room was always crowded because no one had anywhere else to go. He would have preferred being up in his dorm but he did not want to be alone so he waited by the fire place until one of his dorm-mates decided to head up to bed.

"Has she said anything about the monster?"

"Not a word," the gossip monger said. "Whenever they'd ask her, she'd just burst into tears."

"I bet Draco didn't like that."

Neville could not figure out why they continued to speak in hushed tones. It was obvious that they wanted everyone in the room to hear them.

"He didn't. He actually ordered the professors to stop questioning her because she was so upset."

"They're definitely hiding something."

"No doubt about it. The monster is clearly their pet."

"Didn't you hear Draco bet that the next victim is going to  _die_?"

The Gryffindor tsk-ed. "You can't trust those Malfoys  _especially_ the sister."

"I bet she's the one to let the monster out to attack Granger."

Neville got up from his seat and marched up to his dorm, slamming the door behind him. Damn his fears. He was not going to listen to another word against Amalthea Malfoy.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is a bit late. I usually upload in the morning but I just finished writing this now (it's around 7pm now) because I couldn't figure out how to continue this part of the fic. I was actually going to cram the remaining events of the book in this chapter but I could not bring myself to do it (I actually cut out a scene that I wrote for this chapter because I thought that it was too long). Hopefully, the next chapter would be the last for The Chamber of Secrets. I'm hoping that by Chapter 8, we'd be in The Prisoner of Azkaban's story line. haha.
> 
> Anyway, got some lines straight out of the book (McGonagall's and some of Lee's lines during the scene in the common room). Just wanted to let you all know haha.
> 
> Let me know what you think about this chapter!
> 
> I only own what I own.


	7. Chapter 7

It took a couple days longer than Amalthea expected before Snape finally had enough of her moping around the dungeons. Snape deemed her well enough to go back to class and, if she continued to hide in the dormitory, forbade her dorm-mates from telling her the assignments so that Amathea would be left behind lest she crawl out of bed. In hindsight, Snape could have just forced her out the morning after the incident so she was grateful that he gave her some time to recollect herself (even if she still felt her knees lock whenever she left the common room).

Draco had stuck to her side for as long as he could but they obviously did not share any classes together so they always found themselves walking down different hallways after breakfast. Without her brother by her side, Amalthea was left vulnerable to stares and whispers. Her friends tried their best to scare them off but no one could really match a Malfoy's icy glare and Amalthea really was not up to adding fuel to the flames by glowering.

"Thea, are you coming?" Tanith Nott, Theodore's cousin, asked. Amalthea had stopped walking just before they turned at a corner. Without realizing it, she had stuffed her hand into her pocket where her compact mirror used to be and upong seeing Tanith's curious stare, Amalthea had to force herself to relax.

"Yeah," Amalthea tried to say confidently. Her father would be ashamed of her with the way she was acting. "I just thought I forgot something."

Tanith did not seem convinced but, thankfully, she let the matter go and looped her arm with Amalthea's. They just barely rounded the corner when Neville Longbottm stumbled into their view. He had skidded to a halt, just inches away from crashing into Amalthea. Tanith made a noise of surprise and later disgust while Amalthea felt her heart falter.

"Watch where you're going, Longbottom," Tanith scowled.

"I – I'm sorry," Neville said, shuffling back to create a distance between them.

"You better be," Tanith muttered under her breath and tugged Amalthea's arm. "Come one, Thea, we're going to be late."

Amalthea let out a shuddering breath, she could have sworn her heart had stopped beating, and chanced a glance at Neville. She tried not to think about it but it had not escaped her attention that she had not seen him since since before the accident and she worried that he was avoiding her. Neville, bless his soul, looked nervous to be in the presence of Tanith but when he saw that Amalthea was looking at him, calmed down just a bit.

"Are you okay?" Neville asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"Why do you care?" Tanith said before Amalthea got a chance to reply. Amalthea placed a her hand on Tanith's arm.

"It's okay, Tani," Amalthea said before turning her attention back to Neville. His gaze was now on his feet and she could see that his face was red from embarassment. "I'm fine, Longbottom."

"That's... that's good. I'm glad," Neville said, smiling. He looked like he wanted to say more but Tanith began tapping her foot and Amalthea had to resist the urge to roll her eyes."Yeah. Uhm. I'll just... go."

"Great," Tanith said and Amalthea did roll her eyes.

Neville caught the action and nearly let out a laugh but was smart enough to disguise it with a cough. Amalthea took that as her cue to leave before Neville got himself into trouble. She felt Neville's gaze on her back and resisted the urge to turn.

...

Amalthea's good mood from seeing Neville quickly dissipated and she was left feeling heavy with guilt. McGonagall had announced that Dumbledore was coming back to Hogwarts and that the Mandrakes were ready to be cut which would unpetrify the students. Amalthea tried to her best to rejoice like the rest of her schoolmates but she could not bring herself to. Hermione's revelation the night of the attack screamed at the back of Amalthea's head and she did not know what to do.

She knew she had to tell a professor but she did not know  _what_ to say to them. Hermione had said something about a Basilisk and the pipes but no matter how much it made sense to Amalthea, she could not help but think the whole thing was mad. If she told the professors and they did not believe her, she did not know what she would do then. She did not have the evidence to back up her claim unlike Hermione but what use was the young Gryffindor while petrified?

"I need to talk to Potter," Amalthea said with a heavy sigh when she realized that by the time Madam Pomfrey unpetrified Hermione, it might be too late.

"Potter? You mean Harry Potter?" Luna asked, looking up from a vial where she had a gliterring pink flower growing.

"Do you know any other Potter?" Amalthea bit her lip, ashamed by how harsh her tone was. Luna did not seem to mind and instead peaked out the window they were leaning against. "Well, I don't see him or his freckly friend around."

"You wouldn't happen to know where they hang out, do you?"

"I only ever see them in the Great Hall."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Amaltea tugged at her ponytail. "I can't just go up to them..."

"Maybe you can pass them a message?" Luna suggested.

"Like send them an owl?" Luna nodded. "I can't do that...if I sign my name, they might not believe me but I also don't think they'd trust a letter without knowing who sent it."

Luna turned her eyes to the ceiling in thought. "What about your Gryffindor friend? That stuttering one?"

"Neville?" Amalthea asked although it was obvious to her who Luna was talking about. "Like ask him to send my message?"

"Or set up a meeting with Potter," Luna smiled. "Maybe he'd listen to you if you talked to him in person."

Amalthea took a moment to consider her options even though she knew that she had no other choice. If someone was going to make outrageous claims that there was a giant snake slithering through the plumping, it was better Potter than her. After all, people would trust The Boy Who Lived more than a Malfoy.

"Oh! There he is now!" Luna said, pointing at the window. Amalthea looked out to see Neville walking back into the school. She supposed it was now or never.

...

Amalthea tried to look interested in what her brother was saying to the group but she could not for the life of her care at that moment. The school year was over and what Amalthea thought was going to be a magical first year at Hogwarts was probably the most stressful thing she had ever gone through in her life.

At eleven years old, Amalthea did not think she would be in the same vicinity as a monster, have a near death experience (it had only recently occurred to her that Hermione and Penelope had dropped the mirror the moment they saw the Basilisk's reflection. If she had not closed her eyes, she would have had direct eye contact with the beast), and fraternize with what her family would consider the "enemy." She had befriended Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom as well as, in a small way, helped Harry Potter and Ron Weasley save the day which somehow led to her father being sacked. She did not know  _how_ that happened but her brother was quick to say that it was all Potter's fault.

_Amalthea did not know how Neville was able to do it but she was standing in front of Potter and Weasley and she could not find it in herself to hold her head up high like her father taught her. The two Gyffindors regarded her with caution and she could not blame them. After all, she was there when their best friend fell victim to the monster. If it were the other way around, she would not want to be alone with them, too. But, if she was in there place, she would also want to know anything they knew about the attacks._

_"As you know, I was with Hermione the night she was..."_

_"Attacked?" Ron said with an edge in his tone._

_"Yes. That." Amalthea tried her best not to give him the stink eye. She had to remind herself that needed them to trust her. "Anyway, she told me that the... monster was a... uhm..." Ron was starting to really look annoyed at her blubbering while Harry continued to stare at her, waiting to hear what she had to say. She took in a deep breath and tried to gather what was left of her Malfoy pride. "The monster was a Basilisk."_

_"A Basilisk?" Ron scoffed. "I think we would have seen a bloody Basilisk slithering around the school, don't you?"_

_"Well–"_

_"And let's just say the beast was a Basilisk, wouldn't that mean it's a pet of yours, huh, Malfoy? That's a snake ain't it?"_

_Amalthea took in a deep breath. She was not used to being spoken to this way. "I know what this looks like but–"_

_"And another thing–"_

_"Ron!" Harry said the same time Amalthea seethed out "Would you shut up?"_

_Ron was smart snap his mouth shut before he got another word out and Amalthea made sure to return his dirty look._

_"You were saying Malfoy?" Harry said, already looking tired._

_"The monster is a Basilisk and it's getting around Hogwarts through the pipes," Amalthea said quickly just in case Ron decided to speak up again. "I know I can't make you believe me but that's what Hermione told me."_

Amalthea slipped out of the compartment she shared with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Tanith, and Pansy to go to the comfort room. Or, at least that what she told them. It was still a long way back to the station where her parents would pick her and Draco up and already Amalthea had a headache from all her friends' trash talk. There was only so much "Perfect Potter saves the day" and "Dirty Mudblood" she could listen to before she screamed. It was the image of her mother's disappointed face that kept Amalthea's from blowing up.

"Am – Malfoy?" Someone called from her left, stopping her in her stride. She turned to see Neville peaking out of the compartment he shared with whom she supposed were his dorm-mates. They watched their exchange with wide eyes and Amalthea tried her best not to look irritated. She and Neville had been so careful with their interactions the whole school year and here he was talking with her openly in front of his friends.

"Yes, Longbottom?" Amalthea asked, hoping her tone was pleasant. She needed to reassure herself that Neville was calling her attention for a reason. He would not risk her reputation for nothing. He knew what her brother would do if he caught wind of their friendship.

"I – uh –," Neville froze and swallowed his words. He dared a glance behind him and stepped out of his compartment, closing the door. "Uhm. I just wanted to–"

"Wait." Amalthea looked down both sides of the hallways and saw that no one was around to see them. She gestured for Neville to follow her and she led him to an empty compartment. With a wave of her wand, she closed the curtains so that no one would see them inside. It was a good thing she could still cast magic in the train.

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I...hi," Neville said sheepishly.

"Hi," Amalthea replied.

"I – are you mad?" Neville asked and Amalthea realized that her mouth had turned down into a scowl. She tried to relax her face but it was too late. Neville already saw.

"I'm not mad," Amalthea said slowly, willing herself to keep her composure. "I'm just a little...," she took a second to look for the right word, "upset."

"Oh. How come?"

Amalthea pursed her lips and watched Neville fidget with the hem of his shirt. He looked just like he did when he asked her if she was okay after the attack. Her annoyance grew because she just could not stay mad at him. The young Malfoy took a deep breath in until her cheeks puffed out and she slowly exhaled, her cheeks deflating.

"Amalthea?" Neville asked nervously.

"You can call me Thea," Amalthea said, smiling. "We're friends."

Neville blushed and his gaze fell to the floor.

"But, we can't forget that not everyone is going to like us being friends," Amalthea said, bringing Neville's attention back to her. "We need to be careful about who sees us talking."

Neville looked confused at what she said until his eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "Oh – oh Merlin. I'm so sorry, Thea. I completely forgot. I – I promise Dean and Seamus won't say anything."

Amalthea wanted to listen to Neville apologize for his mistake over and over again but she was not that cruel. She was annoyed, yes, but she knew that he did not mean any harm. After all, it was her own fault that they became friends. She decided to be nice to him when he ran into her. She offered to help look for his toad. She took the crystal from him. She sent him Valentine's chocolate. If anyone was going to apologize for the drama that was to come if they ever got caught, it was her.

But then she was a Malfoy and some apologies were more difficult to give than others.

"It's okay, Neville. I trust you," Amalthea said, stopping Neville from having a panic. "If they do say anything though," she waved her wand, "I can deal with them."

Neville visibly gulped and Amalthea let out a laugh.

"What was it you wanted to talk about in the first place?" Amalthea asked when she realized that they have probably been gone too long.

"I... I wanted to ask if it would be okay if I write you?" Neville asked, blushing.

"Sure," Amalthea replied, already thinking of how to hide their correspondence from her family. "I'll send the first letter, okay?"

 


End file.
